Page 73 of Hers To Keep
He places a hand on my shoulder, like a father would his son. Well, what I assume a father would do since my no good, cowardly father never once has shown any kind of affection toward me. “You can’t blame yourself for growing up in a world that gave you no other choice. You chose survival, and that meant following along and obeying everything that was asked of you. You might have believed his lies, followed in his footsteps, believed at one point that what you were doing was needed, but now that you know the truth, you’ve chosen a better path. That is redemption, son. To accept responsibility for your past sins and repent.” I nod quietly, not responding to him. Can I really erase all my past offenses, and continue like nothing ever happened? “She seems like a wonderful girl; I hate that I didn't find outabout her sooner. I would have taken her far away from this toxic place.”
“We still have time. We have to see this through, enact our vengeance and destroy them once and for all. It’s the only way to ensure she can ever be happy,” I assure him, but it’s myself who I think I’m trying to convince.
“You realize who we’re trying to go up against?” Maxwell asks me as we pull into the driveway of the safe house he’s renting in Pleasant Hills, near the foster house where Scarlett lived. We must keep our distance but remain close by if she were to need us. I also must stay near Hillcrest to be close to my boys. Since I’m gone, they’ll be the ones who will keep an eye on her for me.
“My uncle’s biggest flaws lie in the sins he damns others for committing, but the ones he tirelessly does himself. Pride, greed, wrath, but most of all gluttony. He wants it all, and that will be his downfall. He won’t be content with just having her work at The Gallows, he’ll want her as his own now that he plans to get rid of Lilith, and me.” Maxwell’s face contorts angrily, he may not have known about Scarlett until recently, but the idea of what my uncle might want from his daughter is repulsive even to him.
“He’s not the one I was referring to. Franco Marchesi. The Marchesis are the mob. When they were part of the five, they dealt with the organized crime sector. Who do you think did the clean ups for your grandfather and those before him? Those who they couldn’t control, the business partners who wanted out, who do you think got rid of them? The Marchesis might as well have their own graveyard in Hillcrest with the amount of people they’ve killed over the years. And Franco Marchesi is a psychopath. Even his own father, a ruthless mob boss, couldn't handle him.” We step out of the car heading toward the front rusty door of the cabin.
“We have to figure something out. We have no choice. I have to get her out of this mess I caused.” All of this is my fault. It’s my world she was dragged into, it’s my uncle who wishes to harm her. It’s this entire town that will be her ruin.
He opens the door leading me inside, as he sets his keys upon a small table by the door. “We will son, I can’t lose my daughter. I’ve only just found her.”
We ordered some takeout from a nearby Thai restaurant, now sitting across from each other at the small table in the dining room, eating silently. I swear an entire hour goes by, just the two of us sitting here, not knowing what to say. I don’t know where to start. So many questions are going through my head, but there is still one minor detail that makes little sense to me.
“How does Elena Masters fit into all of this?” I ask abruptly. He halts as he brings the forkful of Pad Thai up to his mouth.
“It’s been a while since I heard that name,” he says, setting down his fork and wiping his mouth with a napkin, as he brings his glass of scotch to his lips.
“When I went to Eli Hargrove’s office to look for information on the blackmailer, I found Elena there. Then Macallan, well Marchesi showed up, and told me he was the one who was blackmailing Wesley, but he never told me why, or what Elena had to do with it. I figured since Elena and my uncle dated before she wanted payback for him cheating on her or something.” He laughs out loud, clearly insinuating that isn’t the reason for Elena’s involvement in all of this.
He smiles and shakes his head in response, “Elena and your Uncle Wesley dated throughout high school, but Elena was Gianna’s best friend. When she found out what had happened, she came to me. She gave me hell for cheating on Gianna, but I had absolutely no idea what had happened,” he laughs to himself once again, drinking the rest of his scotch in one swig. “But when Gianna killed herself, she soon discovered what Wesley and Lilith had done.”
“So she knew, and this is her revenge for the death of her best friend?” I ask for the first time, finding out what truly happened to Gianna, and why Marchesi’s vengeance is so strong. His sister killed herself because of my Uncle Wesley’s scheme.
“Revenge, retribution, it’s all motivation. Wesley was secretly in love with Gianna, although he was with Elena. But I don’t think Wesley and Lilith know Elena found out what they did. If they knew, I’m sure they would have ensured her silence. She swore to me then she’d get payback for everything he did, which must be why she’s helping him.”
Chapter
Forty
SCARLETT
One, two, three, four, five…
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve almost found happiness in life. The first time I arrived at the Grayson’s and found my family there, even though in the beginning, we rarely got along. Second, when we arrived at the academy and for a few moments found peace, starting over in a new place where we could make something of ourselves. Third, when I gave my relationship with Drake a chance, only to fuck up and lose him completely. Fourth, when Ace and I first started going out, the thrill of being with the school’s bad boy; even after everything he did, he somehow continued to make me lose all sense of right and wrong. And finally, when we fought against all odds, to fight for our love, to fight together.
But it was all in vain. It was all for nothing.
Yet for the first time, I am content with never knowing true happiness. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. I realize it’s just something I don’t deserve, a gift I will never receive. I amcondemned to a life of solitude because I am surrounded by nothing but sinners, and that’s my punishment. Because in this twisted world, evil always wins.
So I am content with knowing that my chosen family, my loved ones are safe, while I am to burn in this purgatory. All is once again right in the world.
All that’s left is for me to work for the devil himself at the most depraved of his hells, but it’s the only option I have. I should be devastated, utterly manic after my argument with Ace and having to act like I’ve betrayed him, but I don’t feel a damn thing.
Like some kind of malfunctioning zombie walking through a hoard of people, forgetting about the ravenous hunger within me, I walk toward my bedroom, dragging my feet and oblivious to all around me. Inside my bedroom, I don’t bother closing the door before undressing and walking back out to the restroom. I turn the knobs of the bathtub, letting hot water flow out and fill the tub before stepping inside and dropping in one of those calming bath bombs Stella uses. My entire body is submerged under the hot, foamy water as I lean my head back against the edge of the tub, closing my eyes and letting the aroma of lavender and eucalyptus subdue me.
I hear heavy footsteps approaching, stomping louder as they enter, but I don’t open my eyes, as I already know who it is and why she’s come. I hear a loud, desperate sigh escape her when suddenly, a wave of water sprays my face, entering through my nostrils and making me cough as I slowly open my eyes and try to adjust my sight to the scene before me. I find Jade standing hunched over the tub, glaring furiously at me.
“What the hell, Jade!?” I shout, as she reaches in and splashes me once again.
“What do you mean‘what the hell’, what the fuck, Scarlett!? What game are you playing now?” Her voice is raspy and deep, not a hint of humor, not a hint of anything but rage.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not playing anygames!” I shout back, not bothering to shield my naked chest as I sit up in the tub, the foamy water doing nothing to cover me. I know my body, which is covered in scrapes and bruises, is visible to her but if she’s here, she already knows what happened.
“Oh, don’t come at me with more of your bullshit, Scar. You forget who you’re talking to. I’m your sister! I know you better than anyone, better than I know myself. You think I don’t know something has happened? Whatever went down since the day you went to Servite Manor changed you. You are horrible at keeping secrets, sis, you always have been.” She raises her hands up exasperated as she continues to berate me. “Have I acted like a clueless dumbass this whole time, hoping you’d come to me on your own and confide in me? Yes! Have you? No! So I’m asking you again? What the fuck, Scar?”
“Jade, please just go, my head hurts, and I just want to be alone. I don’t have the answers you’re looking for. I don’t have any explanations or justifications you’d care to hear.” I sink back down under the warm foam of the bubbles around me, dunking my head beneath the water. I lay underneath for as long as I can hoping Jade will have left when I finally come back up for air. But she hasn’t.